Electric igniter.



PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906.

J. N. KELLY. ELECTRIC IGNITEE.

APPLICATION FILED 001229. 1903.

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Q/vi huw@ @Wamego N0. 834,912. PATENTED NOV. 6, 1906.

J. N. KELLY. L ELECTRIC IGNITER.

APPLICATION FILED 00T.29. 1903.

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AUNITED STATES PATENT oEEIoE.

JOSEPH N. KELLY, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO GEIGER, -OF DAYTON, OHIO.

ELECTRIC IGNITER.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 6, 1906.

T0 tI/Z whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH N. KELLY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dayton, in the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Igniters, of which the followin is a specification.

My invention re ates to electrical igniters for gas-engines, and particularly relates to controlling devices therefor. Its object is to provide a device which will automatically vary the time of discharge to correspond with the varying speed of the engine and to provide for thus automatically controlling a plurality of igniters and further permit the time of i nition to be controlled by hand at the will o the operator.

A further object is to provide means to insure the positive breaking of the electric circuit and to avoid the possible leakagepf current through the adherence of metallic particles or mineral oil to any of the electric conductors.

A further object is to greatly simplify the construction, as well as the means and mode of operation, of such devices, whereby they are not only cheapened in construction, but are rendered more efficient in operation and unlikely to get out ofrepair. l

With the above primary and other incidental objects in view the invention consists of the means, mechanism, construction, and mode of operation or their e uivalents hereinafter described, and set fort in the claims.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the controller and a purtenances as arranged for use with a sin Ie igniter. Fig. 2 is a detail sectional View o a portion of the controller. Fig. 3 is an elevation` of the controller (with a portion of the case removed) and its connections as arranged for a four-cylinder engine. Fig'. 4 is a vertical sectional view of the controller. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modification. Fig. 6 is a modification of the controller for a fourcylinder engine.

Like parts are indicated by similar c haracters of reference throughout the different views.

In the drawings, A represents the battery or source of electrical energy for exciting the induction-coil, of which B 1s the primary coil, and C the secondary coil. The inductioncoil is provided with the usual vibratory circuit-breaker or buzzer, which is indicated at f.

D is the controller of which the resent invention consists and which will iereinafter be described in detail, and E represents the igniters to be intermittently operated.

The controller D consists of a frame or support having a bearing formed therein for the hollow trunnion of a casing b2, within which are located the working arts of the controller. The casing b2 is he d normally stationary within the bearing of the frame, but is adjustable therein through the adjusting-screw, as illustrated in Fig. 4. Extending through the hollow trunnion of the casing b2 is a revoluble shaft a, which is, driven from the engine. Rigidly secured to the shaft a? is a disk a, There is also loosely journaled on said shaft a2 a collar a5, having a cam-face a, forming a movable or revolving Contact, as hereinafter described. The end of the shaft a2 isformed with a head for retaining the collar a.5 in position, as shown in Fig. 2. Rigidly attached to the movable collar a5, but insulated therefrom by suitable non-conducting material, is a segmentalv distributer-arm a3.

The` collar a5, with the attached distributer-arm a3, revolves with the shaft a2, being connected therewith by a centrifugal governor mechanism but said parts are ca able of movement independent of said shaft t ough the influence of said governor mechanism. The centrifugal governing mechanism referred to consists of an arm pivoted at a to the disk a4. At its opposite extremity said arm carries a head-or weight as. A link (shown in dotted lines in Fig. 6) is pivotally connected to said weight as and to the collar a5, respectively. A spring a7 connects said weight as and the disk a. in such manner that as the shaft a2 is revolved the centrifugal force .will cause the weight as to move outward against the tension of the spring a7 and through the aforementioned link connection will cause the collar a5 and attached distributer-arm a3 to oscillate on said shaft a2, and thus advance the time of ignition.

Supported upon suitable lugs on the casing b2 is a double-blade make-and-break connection or switch. The res ective blades a and of the switch are insu ated from the case b2 and also from cach other, as at b4. At the inner end of the lower blade a of the IOO pair is an electrical contact-point b3, adapted to be engaged by the cam-face d upon cach revolution of the shaft a?, which will spring said lower blade f1. upward into contact with the upper stationary blade or contact of said switch. llpon the passing of the cam-face e the lower blade will return to normal position, which will leave a break or gap between the respective lower blade a and upper or stationary blade .r of the switch and also between the lower blade and the collar ai. As the primary circuit passes through these points, as hereinafter described, thc double space or gaps mentioned will insure the prevention of leakage of current.

Arranged about the periphery of the. casing b2, but insulated therefrom, are one or more electrical connections b. These connections b extend through the wall of the casing b2 to a point in proximity to the path of thel rotary distributor-arm a, thus forming at intervals electrical connection with said distributor-arm, although not-necessarily being in absolute contact therewith, a slight airgap at this point being desirable. Extending centrally through the side of the casing b2, but also insulated therefrom, is an electrical connection 57. The connection o7 extends to a point in proximity to the axis of the distributor-arm (L3 and is constant in its Like the connections b, the connection 57 is in electrical connection, although not in absolute contact, with said arm a3, a slight intervening space being desirable here also.

Referring to Fig. l, it will be seen that the primary circuit extends from'the primary coil B to the frame or support of the device, thence to the shaft a2, which is in electrical contact with the support, through the hollow trunnion of the casing b2. From the shaft a2 the circuit extends to the collar a5, which carries the cam-face o". As the shaft revolves the cam-face a engages the contact-point o on the lower blade a of the switch, thus closing one break of the circuit. Continuing the rotation,v it forces said blade upward into contact with the stationary blade x, thus closing the second break in the circuit, and the current passes from the caniface a, through the contact-point Il, to the upper or stationary blade :r of the switch, which is electrically connected with the battery A.. A connection between the battery and the primary coil B completes the circuit. lUpon the further rotation of the shaft' 1/2 the lower blade a of the switch assumes its original position, causing a break in the circuit on both sides thereof-4i. e., between the cam a and said lower blade and between the respective blades of the switch. Thus the lower blade of the switch,'with its contact-point h3, becomes a dead member interposed between the rotary terminal or cam a and the stationary terminal or upper blade of the relation therewith.

switch a. The sole purpose of said lower blade and contact b is to connect said rotary and stationary terminals at stated intervals.

lt has been found in practice that in devices of the commutator type whore. the stationary terminal is in contact with the rotating body, one segment of which constitutes the movable terminal, the constant wiping of the parts and tallic particles forms a metallic path about the rotary member, which results in the leakageI of current, which may also result from a drop of mineral oil between the contacts. By the construction as above described, with an interposed'dead member and a gap on either side thereof, such danger of leakage of current is obviated.

Upon the closing of the primary circuit through the switch parts ai and a', as described, the second ary current will pass from the coil C to the connection o? and thence to the rotary distributer-arm a3, from which it will pass in succession to each of the connections b as the arm ai passes the respective connections o during its rotation. From the connection b the current passes to the igniter and thence returns to the coil C, thus completing the circuit.

ln order that the primary circuit may be closed as the distributer-arm ai approaches each of the connections e, a plurality of switches o are provided, one for each connection b" or each igniter to be operated, as shown in Fig. 3. l/lf hen more than one igniter is to be operated, the primary circuit is formed with a number of branches, one of which leads to each switch a', as shown in said Fig. 3. However, the same result may be accon'iplished by the use of a single switch a and a multiple of cam-faces to close said switch at proper intervals, as illustrated in Fig. o.

it may sometimes be desirable to give to the switch a a vibratory movement or cause said switch to make and break with great rapidity during the moment the igniter is being discharged. This may be accomplished by a series of serrations in the cam a, as illustrated in Fig. 5. The time of the discharge may be advanced or delayed at the will of the operator by the oscillation of the casing b2 within its bearing in the main support, carrying with it the connections b independent of the distributor-arm a, an arm Zr" being provided for this purpose.

l-laving thus described my invention, l claiml. in a device as described, the combination with a primary and a secondary electric circuit, of a rotary terminal and a stationary terminal in said primar circuit, the stationary terminal being in t e path of the rotary terminal, a normally dead member in proximity to the stationary terminal and in osition to be brought in contact therewith by the adherence of me-` IOO the rotary terminal, whereby said member is interposed betweenV said terminals at a certain point in the revolution of the rotary terminal and at intervals' an electrical connection is formed between said terminals, substantially as specified.

2. In a device as described, the combination with an electric circuit of a movable contact, a stationary contact, a member interposed between, but normally disconnected from both said contacts, and means for bring-- ing said interposed member synchronously into electrical connection with both said contacts, substantially as speciied.

3. Ina device as described, an electric circuit, a rotary member forming one terminal of said circuit, a stationary terminal, a member between said terminals and normally independent of said circuit, said rotary member having a cam-face which engages said member to force same into contact with said stationary terminal and complete the circuit, substantially as specified. p

4. In a device as lescribed, van electric circuit, a rotary shaft and cam-sha ed contact carried by said shaft ybut capab e of movement independent thereof, a stationary contact, an elastic member intermediate and independent of said contacts but adapted when engaged by said 'cam-shaped contact to engage said stationary contact and close said electric circuit, and a centrifugal governor connected with said cam-shaped contact to automatically advance or delay the moment of closing of said circuit, substantially as specied.

5. In a device as described, an electric circuit, a rotary terminal and a stationary terminal in said circuit, a member interposed between said terminals and normally independent thereof, but in position to be brought in contact with the stationary terminal to complete the circuit when engaged by' the rotary terminal, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 10th day of October, A. D. 1903.

JOSEPH N. KELLY.

Witnesses:

OLIVER H. MILLER, CLIFTON P. GRANT. 

